Drugovich to Make Le Mans Debut With Action Express

Felipe Drugovich will make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut as the third driver in Action Express Racing’s Cadillac Hypercar lineup.

The 2022 FIA Formula 2 champion will pilot the No. 311 Cadillac V-Series.R alongside Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken at the 92nd running of the French endurance classic.

“I am only 23 years old, and I am having the most important opportunity in my racing car career until now thanks to Action Express and Cadillac,” Drugovich said.

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is impossible to define in words, such is its magic and importance for cars in general and motor racing in particular. I am having the opportunity to live this 100 years history for the first time with AXR and Cadillac.”

Drugovich had been linked to the seat ever since he drove the Cadillac LMDh car at a test with AXR at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The Brazilian, who also remains a test and reserve driver with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, ventured into sports car racing this year after a successful junior single seater career.

He won the Euroformula Open title in 2018 before going on to take the Formula 2 title with MP Motorsport in 2022.

After a year on the sidelines as Aston Martin’s reserve, Drugovich joined Vector Sport’s LMP2 squad in the European Le Mans Series earlier this year, recording a pair of tenth-place finishes in Barcelona and Paul Ricard.

Vector confirmed on Monday that it had signed Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet to its Le Mans lineup alongside Ryan Cullen and Stephane Richelmi, clearing the way for Drugovich to join AXR.

“Felipe has been on our radar for a couple of years,” said Action Express Racing team manager Gary Nelson.

“After watching him race a sports car in the ELMS recently, we finally got a chance to meet him and work with him in some simulator testing.

“We were impressed by his maturity, discipline and knowledge. Next, we took Felipe to a track test, where he shared our car with Pipo and Jack.

“We are very excited to take the next obvious step and enter Felipe alongside Pipo and Jack at Le Mans. His record speaks volumes.”

Drugovich takes the third seat in the Whelen Engineering-sponsored Cadillac that’s been held by Tom Blomqvist for the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races, with Blomqvist understood to be focusing on his NTT IndyCar Series commitments in the month of June.